


Mischief Managed

by lololaufeyson



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Enthusiastic Consent, M/M, Teacher-Student Relationship, he's an adult but it could be squicky for some people, the shortest angst on earth probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 05:40:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14372100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lololaufeyson/pseuds/lololaufeyson
Summary: Loki is a seventh year at Hogwarts when a new Divination professor catches his attention





	Mischief Managed

The great hall was long abandoned by anyone who had come to eat, and it had grown silent except for the occasional sound of turning pages. There were only two people left, and truthfully, they shouldn’t be there. It was long past curfew, but Loki revelled in the peace. Silence was a rare commodity in a boarding school, so when he finally found some, he was sure to take advantage. It also helped that it was Christmas break. The absence of people and the late hour also gave the room a sharp chill to match the dense snowfall outside.

Loki was buried in an advanced spell book, a stack of other books just next to him. He was so engrossed in his book that he barely noticed he wasn’t alone; he’d just stopped noticing people leaving, the movement in front of him just above the edge of the book. Only the occasional sound of crumpling paper reminded him he wasn’t alone.

On the near opposite end of the same side of the same table, Professor Gast was taking notes on an array of papers spread out on the table in front of him. Tweaking divining techniques, jotting down good color combinations, and taking note which teas work best for reading leaves.

There was an air of relaxed superiority around both of them, meticulously groomed, slicked hair, pressed uniforms, backs straight, but it was different between the two. Loki, a rich student, raised to be perfect in every aspect at all times, who found pride in looking better than others, while Professor Gast looked as nice as he did because looking good made him feel good.

It was Gast that spoke first, finally, having finished a section of his work. He looked up and around and found that they were alone. He’d held off on making any comments while others were here, out of respect, but now his curiosity got the best of him.

“So, you’re the- the minister’s other boy?”

Ever defined by his relationship to Thor and Odin, Loki sighed, “Call me Thor’s brother. Everyone else already does.” He didn’t even look up from his book, expecting the usual, ‘you’re nothing like your brother, what happened’ joke.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean offense. Loki, right?”

“Yes.” Loki looked over. 

“I make an effort to know all my students and you’re on my class list this semester.” 

Loki raised an eyebrow.

“You’re remarkably smart, probably smarter than some of the professors here, but I don’t think I’ve heard of you making a fuss.”

“How do you mean?”

“You know, like sassing off to professors to correct them, not doing your work - because what’s the point?”

“Oh, but that would cause trouble for His Highness, the Minister.” Loki smiled so the professor would know it was lighthearted.

He thought for a while, wondering why then, instead, Loki didn’t revolutionize methods, or at the very least make some positive waves, but ultimately decided it was because he probably didn’t want to give his father expectations. He thought it was best to just change the subject. “Nowhere else to be for break?” 

“I could ask you the same, Professor…”

“Gast, Divination.”

“Professor Gast.”

“Some of us have to stay and, uh, monitor the students so they don’t stay out all hours of the night.”

“Fair enough. I’m here to get ahead in my studies, because unlike virtually every other student at this school, I actually love to learn.” He flashed the cover of his book. “Also, shouldn’t you be scolding me for being out so far past curfew?”

“I guess I could, but between you and me… I think this curfew thing over break is, really, pretty stupid. You’re on break.”

Loki copped a crooked smile. What an incredibly odd thing for a professor to say, but not bad odd - more than welcome. “I agree.” 

“Actually, what time is it anyway?” Gast looked around.

Loki took a peek inside his cloak and turned on his phone screen, a phone he should not have. “Quarter to two, Professor.”

“Is that a cell phone?” He spotted the bright, blue light of the screen easily.

“You know what a cell phone is?”

“I wasn’t born on the moon, so, uh, yes.” Gast sassed him.

“Well I wouldn’t scold me about this either, it’ll be dead tonight anyway.” 

Gast raised his eyebrow at him and opened his cloak just wide enough to show Loki that he had a phone in his inner pocket too.

Loki laughed. “Then why’d you ask what time it was?”

“Honestly? I forgot it was there.” He smiled and shrugged. “Qua- really? I’ve been here f-for 6 hours? Cuh-rist.” Gast lightly scoffed and rustled his papers. “I’m gonna find my bed. Don’t stay up all night.” He pointed his shittily stacked papers at him. “Or, I mean… don’t exert yourself. You have a lot to do tomorrow.”

Loki was going to ask how he knew that, but remembered he was the Divination professor and dropped it. That and when he turned his head, the professor was already gone.

\-----------------------------------

The day after classes resumed, a Tuesday, was when Loki had Divination. Truth be told he was only looking forward to it for the professor. He didn’t like Divination itself that much, but Professor Gast seemed pretty cool. 

Fifteen minutes after class was supposed to start, Professor Gast walked into the classroom from his office with a bag of M&Ms the size of a toddler hoisted on his hip and what was clearly a fist full of the candies in his other hand.

“Oh sh-” He jumped, apparently surprised there were people in the room. “Is it 2 already?” He looked at his bare wrist then over the confused and amused eyes staring at him and the monstrosity he carried.  
“Hold on, two minutes.” He held up two fingers and several candies dropped onto the floor. He trod back into his office and came back out, exactly two minutes later, sans candy, with a stack of papers. 

“Good afternoon, my name is Professor Gast, or uh, Grandmaster if you want to stroke my ego. Welcome to Divination, year sevens. Okay, what else?” Gast looked out at the students wearing a dazzling smile. “Anyway, this is meant as a more relaxed course, so you have more time to spend on studying for N.E.W.T.S.” He stopped again, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “as such there will be very few assignments- sorry, hold on.” He shuffled through his desk and procured a couple of pills and took them with a cup of steaming tea which no one had noticed until he picked it up. “That being said, I still want you guys putting effort into this class. I’m looking at you, Tomlinson.” Gast pointed at a choppy haired boy in the back on his left. This many new people in one room always gave him awful headaches: the visions, glints of the future, really bombarded him. “Actually, no assignment- assignments now that I think about it, but there will be…” he counted in his head, using his fingers. “three tests, and I will grade you daily on effort. If you have any questions, feel free to see me during office hours which are on the syllabus, and actually read it, please. I don’t want to be getting questions like ‘are we gonna study this or that’ or when the tests are.” With a wave of his hand, the papers from his stack started passing themselves out.

He let them look over the papers for a minute, giving the ibuprofen a little more time to kick in, and finishing his tea. It probably didn’t help that he had been up until three a.m. He was new here, too, and the teaching schedule was a lot different than at his old school - significantly more complex for whatever reason - but at least he was given a precise schedule. He had class each period on Monday, just last period Tuesday, all except last period Wednesday, first, third and last on Thursday, and every period Friday. At least these British kids didn’t start class at 7:30. That was just awful.  
“Okay, so let’s just jump in. What techniques do we think of when I say divination?”  
Students overlapped, tossing out answers: tarot, astrology, tea leaves, crystal balls, palm reading, bone reading, runes, all sorts. 

“Psh, awesome, and you guys are seventh years so I don’t have to explain, but I will, that uh, Divination requires an open mind… patience, devotion. If you’re skeptical, of course the beyond, the universe, isn’t going to bestow its gifts onto you. There are as well, the… gifted few with the sight, Seers, for which this will all come naturally. The rest of you however can learn these methods and gain insights but your success will vary.”  
A student raised her hand.

“Yes, that’s why I grade on participation and effort - can the person in here who is freaking out about someone’s birthday get the blue one, blue.” Gast cut himself off, someone deciding between red and blue was just hammering behind his eyes. Only about 10 more new sets of students to meet this week. He rubbed his four rings together pensively, fidgeting the fingers. 

“This class period will meet once a week for an hour, which is, like, no time at all, especially when I start it 15 minutes late.” He chuckled at himself. “We can go over the syllabus if you want, or you can have the rest of the period to yourselves. Since it’s the first day I’m sure most of you are still, uh, checked out, mentally, too.” He looked around for any signs of life. Everyone, himself included, was still on vacation time, tired, and it was the end of the day. “Okay then, keep in mind next week we’ll be jumping into it with runecasting so bring an open mind and something to take notes with.”

When his students walked in next week, there were place cloths set out already with stacks of rune tiles in various types of wood at each table; maple, willow, ash, walnut, all sorts. One set per table, per pair. This Tuesday, he kept track of time.

“Every lesson in this class requires a partner - well, mostly - and it helps to have a partner anyway, so I encourage you find someone you’ll be, uh, comfortable with for the rest of the year. Keeping the same partner will strengthen the- the spiritual bond and make divining for each other easier, and more, more comfortable, and you’ll have to be because you may find out some personal things about them. Choose wisely.”

Gast wasn’t sure how lenient the other professors were or the prin- headmaster for that matter. This British terminology…. He was very bouncy and loose at his old school but decided to just stick to the material here until he was in enough good standing to be able to fuck around like before. He wasn’t a bad teacher by any means, no, but his flouncy personality was more comparable to a friend excited to share what they know than a prestigious professor. Truth be told, it was quite difficult keeping things so… rigid.

“Settled? Sweet, good afternoon everyone.”

Gast settled into his routine, complete with grand gestures and constant fidgeting; picking at the hems of his robe and twirling around to name a couple. Gast was wearing some gaudy burnt sienna robe with pastel floral embroidery along the lapel and an olive underrobe. He also sported several gold necklaces of varying length and width - some as low as his waist and one nearly a choker - along with several gold rings, the same ones he wore every day: two plain bands on his pinkie, connected by several tiny chins between them, one on his ring finger with blue and green kyanite, and a large peach moonstone ring on his middle finger. The spots of peach on his ring and lapel somehow matched his aesthetic, especially with the added touch of the peach makeup he wore: his trademark chin swipe which he wore every day, and of course matching eyeliner, because even on the worst days he was dressed to the nines. It was easy to tell that he loved the way he looked, all the time. 

Gast got to it and explained the various methods of runecasting and how to read the results, hitting the broad strokes of the detailed papers sitting out for them, before walking around the room, checking out what was popping up. He was sure to chime in here and there and occasionally announce a reminder that it was about flow and feeling.

Some students were having a hard time. He wasn’t surprised. It wasn't for everyone, especially the ones who adamantly believed divining was absurd, which honestly made no sense to him. How do you go to a school where you can turn birds to cups, fly, and make truth serum, but not believe in seeing the future?

He peered over mister Odinson’s shoulder and saw Berkano as his third tile. Interesting if it was true; he was sure most of the seventh years were stressing about what to do after school was over and a ‘prospering new venture’ would be a load off. 

Gast liked the relaxed vibe the room had, gentle chatter, the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle incense, the cozy decor with all the rugs, pillows, tapestries, crystals; it felt all so very warm, comfortable.  
After Gast dismissed class with a reminder to have the rune meanings memorized, one of those not-assignment assignments, he meandered around the room to collect the tiles. He supposed he could magic it all away, but he didn’t care. Besides, the scent of the burnished wood was nice.

“Professor?” Loki started.

Gast jumped a little. He was way too quiet. “Yes, mister Odinson, what… can I do you for?”  
“I was wondering, why do we separate runecasting and tarot reading when they’re basically the same thing, just originating from two different places?” Loki noticed and helped put the tiles into their little cinch pouches. 

“I suppose all… sorts of divination are similar enough. The basic concept is the same: conjuring information about the future with help from the universe or the dead out of thin air.”

“Doesn’t that presuppose the existence of an afterlife?” Loki handed him a pouch.

Gast smiled. “There are ghosts, aren’t there?”

“Yes, but those are souls that are on this plane, not… technically in the afterlife. I mean a heaven-hell type situation, not necessarily those, but, otherwise, why not just walk up to a ghost and ask them about the future?” 

“Well we can’t necessarily say there is, uh, that kind of afterlife. It’s more like souls being a collection of energy that behaves in a… specific and unique way, otherwise it’s religion.”

“Well what is the difference between religion and spirituality?”

“Just a deity, really.”

“But what’s to say that the souls we’re trying to derive information from aren’t from a religious afterlife instead of a spiritual one? Like bottom line, what’s the difference?” 

“That I’m not allowed to endorse any religion.”

Loki laughed and Gast grinned. 

After all the tiles were into their pouches, Gast took them and stuffed them unceremoniously into a box with a masking tape label reading ‘books.’

“Thanks for the help. Do you want a cup of tea or something?”

Loki nodded. “Sure.” He had nothing else to do and classes were done for the day. He thought it would be nice to have a chat with someone who was intellectually stimulating and not condescending for once.

So, Gast knocked his door open with his hip, arms busy carrying then putting the box of tiles onto a shelf behind his immaculate desk - a desk so clean in contrast to the classroom that Loki found it out of place. 

Loki sat down as Gast absentmindedly put some water on and rustled around for, he assumed, the bags.

“Personally, I can’t imagine there being one, or several, all-powerful infallible beings responsible for all creation and function, because then what’s making them function? And what decision was made that put these specific beings in charge, what are their qualifications? If they’re so infallible, why is there innocent suffering, y’know? Make yourself comfortable.”

“I agree, but I can understand the appeal.” Loki went to say he took two sugars when Gast put two into the empty cup. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised.

“What we know for sure though, is that energy is real, and that what defines a living creature is the presence of energy production inside them. It’s what makes them alive. Once it leaves, they’re dead - no impulses telling the brain to tell the body what to do.” He sets the cups on the desk and pours the steaming water into them, over the bags and sugar. The scent of bergamot and cinnamon wafted around the room, filling the space with its warmth. “No digestion.” Loki took a careful sip. “No transference of nutrients halts, no muscular movement, voluntary or involuntary, the absence of a heartbeat, blood cannot move, and no breathing so no cell oxygenation, they each individually die, and their death signals ours.” Gast warms his soul, holding the cup with both hands. “But if we consider the universe, or all existence, rather, a closed system, then all energy is neither created or destroyed, only transformed, which leads me to truly believe that our idea of a soul is only moved from being trapped in a physical form to being pure energy.” He finally took a sip, and its warmth inked out, reaching out from his lips to the tips of his toes. Just what he needed.

“Because a life, a consciousness, is just a unique collection of minute electrical impulses.” Loki smiled at him. Gast looked like when a child got their blanket fresh out of the dryer and snuggled up into it.

“Exactly.” Gast couldn’t help but be a bit surprised. Wizards, especially purebloods, didn't often have knowledge of non-magic curriculum and it looked like Loki knew exactly what he was talking about.

“But how can you say that existence is a closed system?” Loki offered.

“Because if everything that exists is in a system, there is nothing that could possibly act as a force outside it, so it’s isolated.” Biology and physics? Gast supposed Loki had given himself a proper muggle education, impressive. Then he thought that thought was patronizing and shook his head a bit. 

“That is only true, however, if you also assume there is no afterlife, but instead the transference of energy.”

“Yes, which is funny really. The theory of spirituality proves itself only as far as a theory of religion proves itself as well. Because if there is a physical afterlife like heaven or hell-”

“Then there is an outside system to act on our universe, the plane of the living, which would make this an open system which means that-”

“The transference of energy is neither here nor there, because entropy always increases. The equivalent exchange of heat and work doesn’t apply.”

“And this is where philosophy and physics meet.”

“Yes exactly…” Okay it was definitely patronizing, but Gast didn’t really care because this was the first intelligent conversation he’s had in a while that wasn’t about magic this, magic that. “You know… I don’t often come by people who know much of anything about real world science.”

“Not to sound ungrateful, but I grew up and it’s magic this, magic that. I got used to it, got bored of it, so I self-taught a lot of muggle subjects.”

“The physics of thermodynamics, though?”

“It’s interesting. I mean here I’m sure it would seem fantastic for a muggle to learn about magic, but is magic not science we simply don’t yet fully understand? I can explain exactly how, on a cellular level, your heart beats, but I don’t have the faintest clue how one could turn a person into a bird. I really don’t think the strict separation of magic and science is doing anyone any good. Both wizards and muggles would benefit by each other’s introduction and integration.”

“Don’t let the minister hear you say that.”

“I know,” he groaned, “he’s just… the worst.”

“Really though, it’s incredible, and refreshing, to have someone share that opinion, especially from a- a pureblood. You don’t hear it often.”

“I know, right? If I were to much as mention it in polite company, I’d get such looks. I guess no society is free of elitism.”

“Doesn’t really help that the village freak is trying to convince them.” Gast laughed. He loved the way he looked but was more than aware how strange people thought he was.

“Potions? Fine. Flying? Fine. Moving paintings? Fine. Seeing into the future? Oh, the humanity, there’s no way it can possibly be real!” Loki rolled his eyes.  
They laughed.

“Well, mister Odinson-”

“Loki.”

“Loki…” He’s glad to be calling at least one person by their first name. That was one of the biggest culture shocks between his last school and this one. “I’d like to, uh, hear your thoughts about the next lesson, next week, after class again?”

Loki smiles. “Sure.”

\------------------------

The next week, Gast waits for everyone to file out before approaching Loki, who had taken it upon himself to help pack the tiles away again. 

“So, what did you see?”

“Not sure, Rahldo is vague.”

“It’s hard to tell without knowing more, about you. The three-tile method is really more for, for self-casting. Do you mind?”

“By all means.”

Gast motioned him into his office and he lit some incense and made some tea. He took Loki’s palm and examined it. Soft. “Well, in my expert opinion,” Gast smirked, “it’s personal growth, acceptance to change something new. Hm, strong vibes around the end of the year, not really a surprise.” But then he sees something, and he puts Loki’s hand down.

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.” He smiled assuredly, convincing him. What he saw wasn’t any specific vision but a feeling: significance. “Anything interesting going on in your other classes?”

“If I were any more bored in potions, I could do it in my sleep, but transfiguration is interesting.”

“I never got a handle on potions, so very exact about every little thing, ugh, where’s the emotion, the- the feeling, the passion. I like magic because it’s so… fluid.”

“Makes sense. I tend to prefer the opposite though, fewer variables, less chance for error, no guesswork.” 

“Divining must be a pain then.” He took a sip of his tea-flavored sugar.

“Not really. I like the break from tedium. Plus, knowing bits of the future is invaluable, don’t you think?”

\------------------

The next time they meet, it’s reading tea leaves, so Loki brought pastries to share with Gast. 

"If I’m going to be drinking your tea, the least I can do is offer you some pastries," he opened a small wicker basket to reveal near a dozen of the little things.

“Oooh homemade- bl…ueberry?”

“Blackberry.”

“All the better - I’m allergic to blueberries.”

“Blueberries?”

“I know, right? Of all things.”

“My brother’s a show off.”

“Compared to you?” Loki said incredulously.

“Oh, come on I’m not that bad.” Gast leant back, his several thousands of galleons’ worth of jewelry clattering. 

Loki just looked at him. 

“Okay, but he is so much worse than me.” Gast shook his head. “He’s a rare items collector, one-of-a-kind doohickeys and the like, a priceless collection really, to be fair, but he’s constantly just- just rubbing it in my face.”

“What kind of collectibles?”

“Ever seen the world’s largest diamond?”

\-------------------- 

They went on like that for a few months, meeting after class to hang out and chat, talking about class, food, life in general, but mostly surface things: things appropriate for a teacher and student, until they were comfortable enough that is.

“Have you given any thought to what you wanna be?” Gast popped a candy into his mouth.

“Honestly… not as much as I probably should’ve by now.”

“Whattaya mean?”

“Well there are only so many jobs my father would find acceptable, gods forbid I don’t uphold his pristine image. I don’t want to be an auror, or a healer. I suppose he’ll want me to work at the ministry if not those two.”

“Well what do you want to do?”

“Does it matter?”

“Of course, it does.”

Loki thought for a moment. “I’ve always liked animals - dragons, I find incredibly fascinating, thestrals too.”

“There are plenty of jobs with the care of magical creatures- wait, you can see thestrals?”

“Yeah.”

Gast frowned, genuine concern painting his usually amused face.

“Oh, no, it was a long time ago, my mom died of some disease, I was like five.” Loki shook it off.

“Arguably worse, to experience the death of someone you love so young. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault. Forget I mentioned it. I guess ideally, I’d want to be a dragon tamer or something like that.”

“I pegged you being a, uh, professor of some sort. It’s not that often you see students in want of more knowledge, especially not muggle subjects.”

“Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve met a professor with knowledge of muggle subjects either.”

“Oh, both my parents are muggles. They insisted I get a non-magic education too, which at the time I hated, but I’m glad it happened. I have enough education for a career outside the world of magic if I  
leave here, and I think knowing those things helps me do my job here.”

“Would you ever leave?”

“Right now? Nah. I’m fine here, I just mean in case something happened. Being a professor is rewarding. I like teaching. I can’t imagine doing something I don’t like - and I think you shouldn’t do something you don’t like just to make the minister happy.”

“No offense, Professor, but you have no idea what he’s like.”

“You’re right, I don’t, I’m just saying. Is being unhappy in your career, which could be your entire life, worth making him happy?”

Loki looked at him, pensive.

Gast took a risk. “Open talk office policy. You can say whatever you want, it’s a safe space, nothing leaves here.”

“Okay.” Loki took a breath. “He’s a massive narcissistic asshole who could care less about anyone but himself, including sacrificing the happiness of those around him as long as he looks pristine to the eyes of the public, which ensures him a long and successful career - and by career, I mean money.”

“That was certainly candid.”

“You asked for it.”

“That I did.”

“Truly, I hate the man.” Loki sighed.

“He can’t be that bad, he’s your father after all.”

“I’m adopted.”

“…I knew you and your brother looked just too different.” Gast joked.

“Actually, that’s… sort of a secret. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

“My lips are sealed.” He smiled softly.

His very… curvy, plush lips. When was the last time Loki spoke to and was spoken to by someone like this, with respect and genuine interest? No condescension, not patronizing, just talking.

“Can I…” Loki paused, about to divulge a moment of weakness. “Do you really think I should look into it? Being a dragon tamer?”

Gast took a moment to really look into his eyes, an impactful moment of significance. “Yes, if it’s something you want, I really do.”

Loki felt his heart skip a beat, and his chest was full of a swarm of bees. Fuck. “Okay, I should go, I think.” 

Gast opens the door for him and lets him out with a good night. Something was strange about Loki’s sudden departure, but he didn’t pester him. Instead he took to his scrying crystals, a feeling in the pit of his stomach he both hoped was and wasn’t what he thought it was.

What he finally saw was jarring, and at first a bit off-putting. He needed to mull this over. Loki was an adult after all, and quite attractive, maybe strangely so, but every justification was met by a stubborn ‘but he’s your student.’

\--------------------

They were in Gast’s office again. Loki had lost count how many times now, telling jokes, mocking some professors, the usual, and both feeling safe around the other. The conversation was lighthearted, and Loki felt free and comfortable enough to talk about whatever. He was never bored either. As a matter of fact, staying after class to hang out with him was the best part of his week, like a breath of fresh air.

Loki’s charm seemed effortless, and for the first time in his life, Gast found himself anxious to impress someone. Not to brag, but he had never had an issue flirting with people; he was gorgeous after all. But Loki? He was… different. Loki and him were a lot alike. 

He rummaged around in his head for a joke that combined birds and changing face and managed to throw one together good enough to make Loki laugh. It was music to his ears. Only it wasn’t the final punchline. Gast hopped up onto his desk, confusing Loki for a split second before he transformed into a shining, brilliantly colored peacock, plumage practically as flamboyant as his outfit before. 

Loki beamed at the display; of course Gast was an Animagus, and of course he was a peacock, but he had a surprise for him as well. Loki stood up and transformed into a sleek, black fox with ticks of silver.  
Gast immediately changed back and stared, wide-eyed, jaw dropped at the big eared canine. “Whaaaaat?” He grinned, mouth agape even as Loki transformed back and pressed his robe down. “But you’re so young, this is incredible! It’s such a complex spell!”

“I know, it’s almost like I was there.” He smiles at the compliment, flirting.

He hopped down and sat on his desk, eye level with Loki again. “Yeah, but it’s! It’s… it’s…”

Big smiles relax into soft gazes and the air between them grew warm. The sound of them breathing seemed so loud. They aren’t sure who leans forward first, but they drew together and kissed like it was the most natural thing in the world.

For a moment, the world melted away and the only thing Gast knew was the flavor of Loki’s chapstick- green apple. His one hand came to rest on Loki’s cheek and was soon cupped by Loki’s own, fingers tracing his thumb. He knows what he’s doing and he’s not aggressive or over eager, just gentle, almost afraid that he was going to scare him off somehow. 

When they finally pull apart, Gast is a bit bashful. He’s smiling but that voice came back, warning him.

“Sorry, maybe I shouldn’t’ve-”

Loki, barely hearing him, goes in for another kiss, but is stopped by Gast’s hand flat on his chest. 

“Wait, hold on.”

Loki looks up at him, Gast is smiling, reassuring him he wasn’t mad or anything like that.

“You don’t have to, you know… feel pressured to…”

“I don’t.” Loki breathed. “Really, Professor.”

Gast let out a breathy laugh and thought for a moment, regarding Loki’s resolve. He searched Loki’s eyes for something that would tell him he went too far, or that Loki wasn’t serious, but there wasn’t anything. He was unwavering.

“I think that…” he swallowed, “if we’re, uh, going to continue down this path, then… maybe you should call me by my name, in private at least.”

“Which is?”

“En.”

“The letter N?”

“No, E-N, En, En Dwi actually, but-”

“En it is.” Loki laughed.

When he leaves, all Loki can think about is the tingle of his lips and how his chest burned where Gast’s hand was.

\---------------------

At dinner, Loki kept peering up at Gast up at the professors’ table, trying to hide his little smiles.

“Who’re you smiling at, Odinson?” Sif said.

“No one, shut up.” Loki stuffed some rice in his mouth.

“Is it Thompson?”

“I’m not smiling. I don’t smile.”

“Yeah, sure.” She smiled.

\-----------------------

During class when Gast was sort of lecturing about automatic writing, he nonchalantly slid a small piece of parchment onto the table in front of Loki. In barely legible writing was written my office, 7 o’clock, don’t eat dinner.

Loki smiled and ignored the puzzled look his partner gave him.

So instead of staying late after class, Loki went back to the dorms and occupied himself until 7 doing his work and reading. He practically skipped back up to his office and Grand- En greeted him with a kiss on the back of his hand.

“My, my, aren’t we a gentleman.” Loki smiled.

“Did you have a nice day?” En welcomed him into the room.

“Actually, yes. I got an owl from father and he’s going to be too busy to head to the summer house this year, and with Thor abroad… I’ll have the house to myself. It’ll be nice to finally have some alone time, especially after all this,” Loki gestured around himself, “communal-ass living.”

“I always liked living with a bunch of people. If you didn’t notice, I never shut up.”

Loki chuckled.

“So, in your many interests in the muggle world, is there hidden an interest in their food?”

“Is it not the same?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of fast food.”

“I don’t live on the moon, so yes.”

“Bam!” En pulled a bag out from beside his desk.

“What’s this?”

“These are McChickens.” He started pulling several of them out of the bag.

“I am not eating those.” Loki sat down.

“Open mind, open mouth. They are delicious.” En handed him one.

Loki tentatively unwrapped one and bit into it. “Holy shit, these are actually pretty good.” He grinned at En.

“I told you; fast food is the- the greatest muggle invention. Well, that and cell phones.”

“Isn’t that the truth.”

They ate together and hung out until Loki had to make his way back to the dorm for the evening.

\---------------------

On a walk after classes, Loki came upon En out on the lawn, sitting on a rock, seemingly doing nothing in particular. Spring was just around the corner; it was early April, the snow was recently gone, grass coming back to life, mud everywhere, the air smelling of earth and growth. Loki came down and sat next to him without a word. He also draped his light scarf around En’s very bare neck. It was a bit chilly after all.

En smiled softly. “I love this time of year,” he said eventually.

“Hm?”

“The earth, the smell, the crispness, it all seems so… clear. Everything begins anew.”

Loki takes his hand and laces their fingers.

Gast smiles. “I think… the worst thing about seeing, uh, glimpses of the future, is that sometimes I see these… awful things, like death, suffering. Other things too, but as much bad as good.” He took a breath. “But it weighs. Rarely can I do anything about it, so s-sometimes, it feels like there’s so much more bad than good and I have to take a step back and… evaluate.”

Loki thought for a second. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault. Besides-” he looks at him, takes his hand to his mouth and kisses it with a big, sentimental smile- “I’m taking stock and I’m pretty lucky.”

“How so?” Loki’s not skeptical; he wants to hear En talk about what’s going well… and he also wants him to say that he is a good part.

“Well, I have a stable job, a job I truly love, a home outside this school, I don’t have to worry about money, and I have a… special interest.”

“Special interest?” He laughs, fake offended.

“Well, what are the kids calling it these days?”

“You’re not that old, En.” He tests the name. “I’m not sure. Boyfriend seems not quite right.” He likes it.

“I hear ‘significant other’ is making rounds.”

“Well, you are significant, I should think.” Loki looks around quickly and gives Gast a kiss, short and sweet. “It’s nice out, want to take a walk?”

\-----------------------

Next time, Loki decided for once he wanted to do something for Gast and not the other way around, but he didn’t really know what to do. So of course, he did what he did every time he was deep in thought: pace. He paced and paced, then he felt the dormitories were too cramped, and he went for a walk around the castle. Amongst the portraits and architecture that he admired, he let his thoughts drift off to wherever they wanted: to art, weather, fashion, history, culture, food… food! That was it!

What better way to repay and treat En than with food? He had been feeding him this and that for months now; it was perfect. Why it took him this long to come to that conclusion however… ridiculous. 

For the nth time, Loki made his way to En’s office, this time with a large wicker picnic basket in hand.

“Knock knock,” Loki said as he opened the door.

“Hey, you.” En sounded surprised. “Shouldn’t you be in the… great hall?” He noticed the basket in his hand.

“I could ask you the same… but I’m glad I caught you.” He shook the basket. “I brought food.”

En is thoroughly wooed. “Oh my goodness. W- what have you brought?” With a flick of his wrist, his desk cleared itself, stacking the various items away on other surfaces. 

Loki set the basket down and started removing its contents. “Bergenske fisksuppe, landbroed, brunost, lutefisk, and lefse. Oh, and crackers of course.”

En blinks a few times. “Come again?”

“I’m sick of the food here, so I brought some more Norwegian stuff.”

“You’re Norwegian?”

“Born and raised.” He set the basket on the floor and set out the bowls.

“Then why do you have a- a-”

“British accent? Lived here since I was 11. I was in Oslo with the nanny while dad worked here, but when I got my letter…” He shrugged. He copped his mother tongue for a moment. “Skal vi spise… kjære?”

There were hearts in En’s eyes and he grinned. “Tell me about it.”

Loki smiled. “Fisksuppe is a cod and root vegetable chowder. This is just bread,” he shook his head, “brunost is brown cheese, and lutefisk is… you probably won’t like it, it’s lye cured fish, it’s like a jelly. I like it on crackers, same with the cheese. You’ll like the lefse though. It’s like a potato crepe, and you smear butter and sugar on it and roll it up like a tiny burrito.”

En followed Loki as he explained and poured some of the soup from a thermos into the bowls, opened various containers and set out some silverware. He was obviously going to try everything, it all looked good except for the jar of lutefisk, which looked like if vaseline somehow went bad. 

And try he did. The chowder was fantastic, and so was the bread he used to sop it up with. The cheese? Just as good. But when he popped some of that gelatinous fish into his mouth, it was all he could do to not spit it out immediately. He must’ve made one hell of a face too, because Loki started laughing.

They finished up their meal on a light - and sweet - note: the lefse. That was a winner. 

“It takes a weekend to make it.”

“Three days?” He was shocked.

“Well two, but it’s because of the chill times. It’s always fun to make it by hand, and the mess? It’s like a flour bomb went off in the kitchen.”

En is enraptured by Loki. As an American, he really didn’t have any culture per se, so it made his heart melt hearing Loki gush about his. Well to be fair, he could listen to Loki talk about literally anything and be enamored. 

Loki had seen under En’s favorite terracotta robe, his own house scarf tucked neatly around his collarbones and down his front, only a couple centimeters of the colors visible at the opening of the robe. One might mistake it as part of its inner trim, the lining, if they weren’t the Slytherin house’s colors. It made him feel almost possessive, as though by him wearing it, he marked him, labeled him.

“Did you wear it here to give back to me?” Loki was admittedly excited to have it back if only it meant it smelled like En. He always smelled nice. Distinctly floral with something… warm underneath.

“I guess,” En started, voice teasing, hoping to coax a kiss out of him, “it depends on what you’ll give me for it.” 

Loki barely heard him. His heart had been thundering in his ears since he had gotten there, and it only swelled the longer he stayed. He wanted to end the conversation here, close the gap, but he wasn’t sure he had it in him. It was one thing to kiss a teacher, but another entirely to have sex with one.

“Whatever you want,” Loki almost whispers, breath seized up in his lungs.

En blinks, and a twinge of arousal twists in Loki’s gut. There’s something there he hasn’t seen before in him. He tilted his head down and to the side, not breaking eye contact, not expecting that answer at all, but… not taken aback. He could see a fire in Loki’s eyes, the resolve; he was serious. He’d be lying if he said hadn’t thought about it, but now that he was presented with the opportunity, he needed a second to switch gears, to make sure Loki knew what he was asking for. “Are you sure?”

Loki nodded. “I am.” He almost didn’t finish his sentence before bringing his lips against En’s, pianist hands tugging at hair and cloth to bring them closer. He groaned.

“Hey, hey,” En muffled against his mouth, holding Loki’s head gingerly in his hands. “There’s no rush.”

“There certainly is,” Loki replied, chasing En’s mouth when he pulled away, biting back a whine when En stilled him with the grip on his head.

“Think you might change your mind?” En asked, eyes shuttered with unease. “Because if you aren’t totally… uh, sure about this now, I’m not gonna-”

“I’m not going to change my mind.” Loki took one of his hands to the one on his face and stroked En’s hand with his thumb. “I’m just impatient.”

En agreed, hands sliding to Loki’s waist, holding his hips tight. Loki did whine then, meeting En’s tongue with his own before their lips even touch. It was, well, a terrible kiss- his fault, sloppy with overeagerness, rough with desire. It was the best kiss of Loki’s life.

En’s hands drifted up, gently untucking Loki’s shirt, then trailing to undo the single button holding his cloak together. He rolled the robe over Loki’s shoulders and he let go of En just long enough to let it slip to the ground. 

In the few seconds it took Loki to separate himself and undo the buttons on his dress shirt, En had taken off his robe but folded it neatly and set it on the chair.

“En,” he whined when En reconnected them, nibbling Loki’s bottom lip. “En,” he tried again, more desperately when he didn’t get a response. En hummed, diving back into the kiss before Loki could anything else. En kissed him until he was breathless, until his toes were curling so hard he was getting a cramp, until he was sure his manicured nails were going to leave a permanent mark on the back of En’s neck. “En.”

“That’s my name,” En pulled back. “don’t wear it out.” His eyes moved rapidly over Loki’s exposed chest. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo.” He traced the broader lines of the complex design: a snake, across most of his upper left chest and over his shoulder, coiled around plump flowers - gardenia, he thought, and lily of the valley.

“That’s not the only one I have…” Loki fiddled with the lower hem of En’s olive turtleneck. It was surprising how much form could be lost under the billowy piece of fabric, because even with the thick shirt on, Loki knew what he’d find under it was solid.

“Oh, really? Where is the other one?”

“Why don’t you try and find it?” Loki licked his lips. He took his hand and pulled him into the room behind the door he had been eyeing for much of the evening. Loki shucked his slacks and shoes and socks off and hopped onto the bed, giving a come-hither gesture to En. He left his midway briefs to be taken off, like a present.

He couldn’t keep his eyes off him, well-toned, lean, smooth skin, where was that tattoo hiding. “What a b-beautiful young thing like you has, uh, ever seen in an old man like me, I’ll never know.”

Loki was stunned for a moment. How he didn’t know by now that Loki couldn’t care less about such frivolities. Loki set a hand on the man’s chest, trying to find the words. There were countless things he wanted to say, comforts and confessions and compliments, but all he managed to get out was, “You’re not even that old.” Eloquent.

“Doll, I could be your dad,” En laughed, brushing the backs of his fingers over Loki’s cheeks. “I probably have- have shirts older than you.” He toed off his shoes.

“They’d have to be, have you ever seen them?” Loki leaned into the touch even as he teased.

En surges against him and Loki falls back against the plush bedding. He’s overpowered by the scent of En above him, feverishly pressing kisses into his mouth; around him, nestled deep in the blankets; beneath him, permanently engrained in his mattress. It made his mind reel.

“Come on,” He begs, tugging En’s turtleneck and his scarf. “Come on, please, take it off. I want to… I want to touch you.”

En groans, smiling, and braces his arms on either side of Loki’s shoulders, pushing up to stare down at him, muscles in his arms standing out, even under the cloth. “I kind of like having it on. You Slytherins really won the color lottery - blue does not look good on me.” He smiled, pulling the shirt off in one smooth motion, the scarf coming with it easily. 

Loki sits up, reaching out to, finally, finally get his hands on En’s tan, bare skin. “Beautiful.” He ran his hands down the expanse of muscular flesh, from shoulder to hips, measuring the dips and curves.  
En caught Loki’s mouth again as his hands drop to his belt, flicking it off without looking.

Everything became very real for Loki, all at once. The heat and intensity in En’s touch. The growing ache of his arousal. He was barely aware of En wrestling away his pants, without moving from above him, and lifting his hips obediently when prompted but struggling with cognizance until En’s hands slide their way up his now entirely bare legs, hips, waist.

“Hey,” En said, looking for his eyes, “Where’d you go?”

Loki blinked a few times. “Sorry, I just, I haven’t-”

“Oh.” En slowed his role, gently stroking his arm. “Sorry, I thought-”

“No, I didn’t finish. I mean I have… been… intimate with, well a man before but I didn’t, he didn’t,” Loki wasn’t used to being embarrassed, and it was especially uncomfortable because it was in front of him. Did he really have to say it? “Therewasnopenetration.” Loki sputtered and covered his face with his hands.

“Hey, hey, no, it’s fine.” En smiled reassuringly at him, pulling a hand away. “We don’t have to do that if you don’t want, or if you do want, it’s all okay. Just tell me what you want, there’s no judgement.”

Loki swallowed his embarrassment and just went for it. “Well, I’m not… entirely unexperienced with, w-that, I mean I may have definitely fucked myself last night thinking about you.”

The image of Loki sprawled out in his bed, curtains drawn, biting the meat of his thumb trying to be silent, fucking himself with whatever dildo he had hiding in his things, all worked up, thinking about him, made him so hot. 

“Oh my god, Loki.” En carded his fingers though Loki’s hair and kissed along his jaw. “Beautiful, lovely, gorgeous,” he said between kisses, making his way to Loki’s lips, a deep, breathless kiss. “Okay, sorry, hold on…you’re not…” He lifted himself off the bed, “allergic to anything, are you?” He looked up for a moment to see Loki shake his head and he finally pulled out a condom and a small bottle of lube from his dresser before resuming.

Loki took charge for a moment and grounded En with two hands on the elastic of his underwear, looking him in the eyes before pulling it off. It was only fair that he was naked too. The noise Loki made sent tendrils of heat singing through En’s blood. He pushed him back down against the bed and they melted into another kiss, this time slotted against each other, completely bare.

“En,” Loki gasped, grinding against him, “please.”

“Please, what?” En asked, a bit of tease in his voice.

“Anything, everything.” Loki said, groaning out a curse when En reached between them to wrap a hand around the both of their erections. 

“A specific answer.” He smiled.

Loki tries to focus on something other than the delicious friction and how much he liked the way his name sounded in his mouth long enough to give him one. “Fuck me.” He decides, unable to get the picture of En’s gorgeous fingers stretching him open. “I want you to fuck me.” 

Clearly on board with the idea, En’s kiss was harsh, nearly biting with need. “Sure you’re ready for that?” 

“Yes.” Loki swore, looking into his eyes.

En’s fingers tightened behind Loki’s knee, thrusting against him. He keeps them close for a few minutes, kissing Loki like he was made of porcelain. Loki snaked his hands over every bit of En he could reach, like he was memorizing him.

“One… sec.” En mumbled, removing most of him from Loki’s reach to pop the cap on the lube and smear it across a couple fingers. “Relax.” He nestled himself between Loki’s legs. He wasn't sure if his gasp was a result of En’s hand on his cock or the other one that brushed lightly down the cleft of his ass.

“How did you imagine me?” He teased his finger around the rim.

“Oh y’know,” Loki’s iron grip on En’s thigh only tightened and he gasped as a finger worked its way into him. “Everywhere,” he gasped. Normally he took his time to choose his words carefully and articulately, but his brain just wasn’t working.

En opened him oh so slowly. He raked his fingers upward, almost a come-hither motion, massaging his prostate. He brushed Loki’s hand away from his cock - no stimulation allowed there yet. En kissed and bit his inner thighs, leaving raised marks in his wake, relishing in Loki’s twitches and whines.

Loki gripped the sheet and felt his fingernails dig into the meat of his palm. He writhed under En’s iron grip on his hip, his legs pulling En closer, deeper, or at least trying. He had no idea how long En tortured him with his slow ministrations, but it still seemed too soon when he pulled his fingers away.  
Loki couldn’t stop a whine from escaping.

“Tell me to stop, at any point, if you need to,” En says thickly, reaching for the condom with his dry hand, tearing it open with his teeth and sliding it on. He then spread the remaining lube along his cock.

“Mhm,” he nodded. “…Will you laugh at me if I say I want to see you?”

“Of course not,” he reassured him, gently running his thighs. He pulled Loki’s calves to rest on his shoulders. “How’s this?”

“Perfect,” Loki breathed, letting En reach up and over him to grab a pillow and then tuck it under his hips.

“Ready?” 

Loki would be embarrassed if he wasn’t so flattered with how thoughtful En was being. Making sure he was okay, so different from his usual goofy self. Actually, it was really hot.

“Please.”

There was nothing that could’ve prepared him for that sensation, truly. The stretch was exquisite, even after the care En took to prepare him. The air in Loki’s lungs rushed out in a thick hiss, and despite his enjoyment, he pulled away, ever so slightly. His expertly manicured nails, however, gripping at his hips, inviting him, encouraging him to continue. 

“En,” he breathed, a reflex by now, “En.” 

En kissed him, and he melted, returning it with eagerness as he pulled En closer. He couldn’t help the sigh that escaped when he was finally filled completely. 

Loki held him in place for a moment, fingers latched onto En’s hips, not quite hard enough to leave marks, and when his grip loosened, En pulled out slowly. His own hands holding Loki’s hips much tighter, angling himself just so as he pushed back in.

As he found a rhythm, Loki started muttering nothings, ‘oh god’s, ‘fuck’s, ‘please’s. Every word that bubbled out encouraged En’s tempo to quicken.

En shifted forward a bit, and the angle made Loki clamber for something to grip, one hand tangled in the sand patterned sheets and the other with a death grip on one of En’s hands. Loki fell apart into moans and whined, head cocked back against the plush pillows. 

“Yeah?” he asked, his talkativeness gone, replaced by an intensity, a focus on making Loki feel good.

“Yes, god, yes, yes,” Loki gasped. He could barely find words - the pressure was so perfect, and every thrust was better than the last. “Don’t stop.”

“I won’t,” En assured him, fixing his grip on him to use one hand to finally reach for Loki’s neglected cock which was leaking, rock-hard on his stomach.

“I’ll come,” Loki warned, gasping at the touch.

“Good.” He jerked his wrist to accentuate his intention.

“Fuck! En!” Loki cried out on a particularly accurate thrust, his thumb massaging against his frenulum. It was far too much for his overwhelmed sense and the attention threw him over the edge with little warning, his back arching near completely off the bed, mouth wide open.

He could feel En stuttering, hips losing all finesse as he grew closer to his own climax. But he pulled out and lets go of Loki’s hip.

“Don’t,” Loki said and grabbed his wrist, stopping him from moving any farther away. 

“You gotta be- be over sensitive.” He shook his head.

“Are you close?” Loki pants, riding out the waves of his orgasm. En nodded. “Fuck me then.” He raked his hands through En’s sweaty hair, bringing him back closer.

It was enough. En pushed back inside, the both of them hissing at the sensation, and it takes just a handful of thrusts until En followed Loki over the edge with a shout of his own.

En let himself fall forward, not collapsing onto Loki’s chest but lying on it, and he kissed Loki’s neck gently. Loki wrapped his arms around his heaving back and he buried his face against En’s shoulder, breathing and just basking in their glow.

They lied together for who knows how long - five minutes, fifteen, thirty. He had no idea, and he loved every second of it. En finally let out a huge breath, like it came from his soul. “I think… I’m dead.”  
Loki laughed, heart full, and futzed up his hair. “Feeling all 45 of those years, huh?”

Finally, En peeled himself off Loki and rolled over to lie next to him on his back, and he blindly rummaged around his side table drawer, clattering around, feeling for a rag until he found something cloth. He dipped in the glass of water on the side table to wet it and turned over to wipe the stick off him and Loki. The cold water made Loki jump and little and En smiled, his eyes moving upward to meet Loki’s.

“You okay?”

Loki looked at him, at them, where they are and what they did. He didn’t notice before, too excited to have sex to notice the room itself. He was admiring the earthly décor and his vision got blurry with tears. In an instant, EN was on him, not literally, but his hands were cradling his face, thumbs swiping tears away.

“Hey Lokes, hey, hey, are you okay?” En shushed him, leaning his side against the headboard and settling Loki securely in his arms.

Loki nodded, almost aggressively and pressed his face into En’s chest, taking a deep breath. “Not to be sappy, but I’m so… fucking glad.” Loki pulled back just far enough to meet En’s eyes, grinning like a fool. “Call it afterglow, but I’m so, beyond happy that I met you, that, that the planets aligned just so that we’d meet and click, and just…” Loki breathed and measured the anticipation in En’s eyes. “I think I love you.”

En couldn’t hide the surprise on his face, blinking a few times and looking into his eyes. “I…,” he thought carefully, “I might love you too, Loki.”

Loki grinned like a fool and pressed one more kiss to En’s lips, soft, happy.

Later, Loki was lying against En’s chest, lost in admiring his hands, lacing their fingers and using the grip to turn his arms this way and that, admiring his bone and muscle structure. En, head rested against the headboard in exhausted satisfaction, submitting to Loki’s ministrations, opened his eyes suddenly and looked down at their hands.

“Hey Loki?”

Loki hummed, tilting his head to acknowledge he heard him.

“Where… is that other tattoo?”

Loki smiled in realization. “Oh, yeah.” He sat up, separating them, and showed En his bare ass, and there, near the top of his left cheek was a stag beetle.

En laughed.

\-----------------------

He had no idea what time it was when he was woken up by a weight shift and a large arm draping across his midriff. Loki smiled and inhaled deeply before a yawn threatened to unhinge his jaw. 

“Jesus.” He mumbled and turned around.

“Hello.” En made a little room and Loki took advantage of it, gently pushing him all the way over onto his back with a flat palm. 

“Hi.” Loki laid much of himself onto En’s chest, leeching the heat he was radiating. “Can we say good morning? I have no idea what time it is.”

“We can pretend it’s around 10 if you want.” En could barely contain himself, about to lose it giggling at the mess of dark pink makeup he’d left on Loki, and probably transferred back onto himself too. It would almost look like irritated skin if it wasn’t so intensely glittery. He would also get up and get another rag or some makeup wipes, but he was very content, and honestly didn’t care enough. 

For a while they just laid there, talking about nothing in particular, just enjoying each other’s presence, their warmth, giggling, flirting.

“I’m glad it’s Saturday.” Loki rubbed at the remnants of En’s horribly smudged chin makeup with his thumb, sort of trying to fix it, mostly just toying around.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to leave this spot.”

“Don’t you think people will talk?” En smiled at the pink on Loki’s chin, a lazy, hazy copy of his. “I mean, you’re not there when they go to sleep, or wake up, and you’re nowhere to be found the next day?”

“Nah, you see, I’m always ‘off somewhere ignoring people’, library, skulking around, outside, secluded corner, room of requirement, hiding out with a certain professor.”

“Which professor?” En gasped and feigned offense.

“Oh, just this handsome, jewelry-inclined guy with really nice arms and a penchant for seeing the future.”

“Do I know him?”

“I should think you know no one more.”

En giggled and messed up and rubbed their chin smudges together, kissing Loki again. 

\---------------------

After their next class rolls around and comes to a close, Loki glided around his table to greet En with a quick kiss.

The only problem? Neither of them saw a student re-enter the room.

The student, instead of saying anything, immediately snuck out quietly, having not even passed the threshold.

\---------------------

He was quite happy, and it showed; he was smiling, which he never did. This did not go unnoticed by the student who saw them. 

The universe must have hated Loki, though. Why else would it be so cruel? Maybe it was divine punishment for such an ethical lapse. 

He was cornered after classes one day by a student he had seen before but didn't really know.

“I know what’s going on between you and Professor Gast.” He smirked.

Loki panicked. “What do you mean?” 

“I saw you two. Just because your dad’s the minister doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want…” He sneered. “Heh, I bet that’s how you get such good marks, trying to impress daddy. You’re just fucking the teachers.” 

Loki almost hauled off and decked the kid in his face, but no… he couldn't get in trouble, and neither could En. Such childish bullshit would not put him in danger of losing his job. Think. He counted to ten and unclenched his fists. Not much time to think. Why did this guy tell him? Did he tell the headmaster yet? Is he trying to extort something from him? There’s no way he’s that smart, full offense. He’s probably just trying to get a rise out of him. Petty teenage bullshit. 

Loki took a breath and calmed himself. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said calmly with a very good fake look of genuine confusion on his face. “I don’t know why you’re trying to soil the Odinson name, but such trivial, outrageously fake rumors won’t do much. They’re not remotely believable and if this behavior persists, I’ll have to go to the headmaster and explain that you’re threatening not only me but a well-respected member of the staff.”  
The student stormed off.

\-------------------

Loki came clean and told En as soon as saw him next, and the professor was impressed with how he handled it. En wouldn’t’ve been able to do anything himself because there would be implications. A professor approaching a student to stop a true rumor about himself… not likely.

“Maybe we should… stop.” En could barely get the word out. He didn’t want to, but it would get him fired and cause trouble for the minister. 

Loki frowned. He wasn’t expecting that. “But, but-” He searched for something to say, something that could convince him that he should risk his livelihood for him. He wasn’t that arrogant. En… Gast was right. It wasn’t fair of him to ask for any more. “I have to go study for N.E.W.T.S.” It’s a weak excuse. They both know Loki could’ve perfected them years ago. 

\----------------------

The air around Loki was poisonous. His roommates avoided him, more than usual. One even jumped out of his way as he walked past to his bed. That evening, Loki spent in his bed, curtains drawn, brooding. He was as pissed as he was sad and couldn’t decide which emotion to give his energy to. Each time he was about to cry, he got angry, and when he was about to scream, he felt tears welling up again. He hated it. Hated it, hated it, hated it. 

He tried to distract himself with some of his countless books but couldn’t stay focused enough to get through more than a page. At least his cat was in a cuddly mood. She lied in front of him, rubbing her face on his stomach, as he lied on his side under the covers. Maybe she could tell he was upset. 

And as upset as he was, his embarrassment made it worse. He was normally so primped and pressed and he just couldn’t leave his bed unless he wanted people to see him rumpled and red-faced. God, why did he have to be such a child? The sentiment! It wasn't like it would’ve worked out anyway. En was more than twice his age, a full-grown adult with his life together. Why would he ever want to be with him? 

Loki traced his lips with his thumb, and started to bite his nail, pensive, his pillow slowly absorbing the tears that were gently falling. 

No, he couldn’t cry. He couldn't let something this trivial get in the way of his well-being. He swallowed his shame. He wouldn't let himself anguish, but he could mope for a while. 

\-------------------------

His calculating side kicked in a few day later. That wasn't to say he hadn’t figured out a way to get En back sooner - he had ideas that evening - but they weren’t ideas so much as weak hopes. Now that he was in a clearer state of mind, Loki found his prospects were actually pretty good. What was Gast worried about? Well, losing his job, obviously, which would happen if they got caught - if he got caught with a student. Well, Loki wasn’t going to be a student for much longer. It was presumptuous, sure, to assume that was the only issue he might have, but Loki was flying on several assumptions and a wild hope, so why not take a shot?

\----------------------

Gast wasn’t expecting Loki to show up to class that week, but when he walked in, groomed and looking like nothing had happened at all, he was honestly a bit hurt. Was Loki really this unaffected by something that affected him so much? Truth be told, he’d had a rough week. At least classes distracted him a bit. 

The students were reading bones, and they were supposed to have the meanings and positions memorized, but by what he was hearing as he weaved around, only about half of them knew. The others were just talking out of their asses, and one even had extensive notes all along their arm. Didn’t think he’d notice them pulling their sleeve up every 30 seconds. Hm, there’s no way Loki didn’t notice how he was avoiding him. The last thing he needed was to lose composure in the middle of class. Not that he’d cry or anything like that, but he wasn't as smooth as he seemed. He’d probably say something really stupid and anyone with ears in a 30-foot radius would gawk. 

When class was finally over, he watched everyone filter out - everyone but Loki. He sat still in his seat patiently, clearly waiting for the two of them to be alone. He ignored him and with a swipe of his hand, the bones on the tables started collecting themselves into their bags. If Loki was so unbothered by his split, then he was right to do it. Let him live his life normally, like it never happened, and he’ll find a career that that’ll make his father proud and that he loves and there’ll be no scandal. He couldn’t help but scoff a little. To think he was going to just wait until he graduated… It was fine.

He turned to go back to his office to do some paperwork when Loki grabbed his wrist. He didn’t even hear him get up. As he turned to look at him, Loki leaned forward to initiate a kiss. Gast held his hand out in front of his face and Loki ended up kissing that instead. Gast looked at him, confused, pensive. He planned to do this. For how long, he wondered. So, he wasn’t unaffected, he was just… scheming. Was he pretending nothing happened? 

“What’s the matter?” Loki mumbled against Gast’s palm.

Gast took a breath. “What… are you doing?”

“Kissing you?”

He couldn’t help it, his hand slowly shifted to cup Loki’s cheek. Gast looked at him for a while, darting between his left and right eyes. He thought for a while and he saw Loki’s patience, endless, hopeful. “Graduate.” He eventually spoke.

“What?”

“Graduate, highest marks… and we- we can resume whatever this is.”

“En-”

“That’s Professor Gast,” he took his hand away and smiled, “for the next few weeks anyway.”

Loki grinned. “Yes, Professor Gast.” Truly he was glowing, like he’d never felt such joy and relief. 

\---------------------

At the end of May, after N.E.W.T.S. were over, Loki took his scorecard and practically ran back to the Divination room, and found Gast in his office, nearly finished packing his things up. He waved the card, full marks, at him. “I am officially graduated from Hogwarts.”

En stood up from leaning over his trunk packing books away, a smile ear to ear. “Congratulations, though I think we both knew that y-you’d do great.”

Loki approached him and practically slammed into him with a bruising kiss. He’d waited far too long to do that again. 

In the middle of Loki trying to devour him whole, he felt a hand slide over to his crotch and he jumped. “Woah, woah, woah, hang on.”

“Just sliding my address and phone number into your pocket, if you want to send a text or… come over.” He winked.

“Come over?” He tucked a strand of Loki’s hair back behind his ear.

“Yeah, see I’m this really rich kid and I sort of have an entire house to myself for the summer.”

“Oho, that’s lovely. I have some news for you too, actually. Seeing as I’m a full-grown person, I have a house of my own too.”

“But is it on the beach?”

En laughed.


End file.
